Collapsible hand axe



June 20, 1961 w. BURDIS ET AL COLLAPSIBLE HAND AXE Filed Sept. 29, 1960 Ir VENTORS,

Ill/4 3a meme/ck Gi -5;; By Fen Mk A/AZAe/Q 2,989,109 Patented June 20, 1961 2,989,100 COLLAPSIBLE HANDjAXE William Burdis, 915 S. Wilson St., Royal Oak, Mich; Frederick G. Scott, 2435 Littell, Pontiac, Mich.; and Frank Helfrick, 833 Garden Ave., Garden City, Mich.

Filed Sept. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 59,259 Claims. (Cl. 145-2) This invention relates to a collapsible hand axe and more particularly to a portable axe which may be folded so as to occupy a very small space.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel form of collapsible hand axe construction which includes a channel shaped holder within which is pivotally mounted an axe blade adjacent one end thereof and with a channel type handle pivotally mounted upon the other end of the holder andv wherein the axe blade may be pivoted into registry within the holder and wherein the handle may be pivoted into cooperative opposing registry with the holder and with the axe blade.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel form of collapsible handle axe construction wherein the axe blade pivotally mounted within the holder is fixedly secured therein when in use against accidental rotation relative to the holder, and wherein a handle is normally in alignment with the holder together with means for fixedly retaining the aligned relation when in use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a clamping mechanism upon the foldable handle of the collapsible axe, adapted for cooperation with the axe blade holder in longitudinal alignment when the axe is in use, but which is easily releasable to permit folding and collapsing of the respective parts into a comp-act unit.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims, in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of when opened in use position.

FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a left side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the present axe showing the parts folded into an intermediate position.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the fully collapsed and folded hand axe.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereinafter set forth.

the present axe Referring to the drawing, the present collapsible hand axe includes a formed axe blade 11 with transverse sharpened edge 12 and including an upper end portion 13, which is snugly projected into the outer end of the channel shaped holder 14 to which it is pivotally connected by the rivet 15.

The holder 14 includes parallel spaced side flanges 16 and the transverse front end wall 17 against which the axe blade 11 snugly registers when in the fully opened position shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the holder 14 and particularly its end wall 17 retains the blade 11 against pivotal movement in one direct-ion, though in the present construction the blade 11 is free to pivot about the axis 15 in a counterclockwise direction, when released. The axe blade holder 14 also includes an elongated top wall 18 having a transverse rectangular slot 19 formed therethrough and therebeyond a slightly concave elongated wall 20. i

The said top wall of the holder has an additional cutaway slot 21 adjacent its end and adjacent the end portions 22 of the said holder and the transverse Wall 23 therebetween. The holder includes adjacent end wall 23 and therebelow a pair of spaced depending ears 24 which are transversely apertured to receive the pivot pin 28 by which the hand-1e 27 is pivotally connected to the rear end of the said axe blade holder.

The channel shaped elongated handle 27 includes the parallel spaced flanges 26, which include at their forward ends the forwardly extending spaced apertured ears 25, which are projected between the ears 24 of holder 14 and pivotally connected therewith by the pivot 28 above referred to.

Bridging the flanges 26 at the forward end of the handle 27 is the transverse wall 29, which in normal operation of the axe is adapted for cooperative registry with the corresponding transverse rear wall 23 of holder 14. Handle 27 also includes the transverse rear wall 30, the said handle being open at its undersurface as generally indicated at 31, FIG. 4.

An elongated leaf spring 32 is positioned within holder 14 and underlies the top wall thereof as best illustrated in FIG. 4 and at its forward end projects out through the cutaway solt 19 in said holder and terminates in the enlarged head 33 which overlies the said holder and includes depending flanges 36 which cooperatively bear against outer surface portions of the side walls 16 of the holder 14, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5.

The head 33 has an aperture 34 therethrough adapted to cooperatively and retainingly receive the upright locking pin 35, which forms a part of and which projects upwardly from the head end of the axe blade 11, as best shown in FIG. 4 and which in the fully open position of FIG. 1, retainingly extends into the aperture 34 formed through the head of the leaf spring 32. As shown at 47 in FIG. 4, the forward edge of the pin 35 is slightly undercut to improve the innerlock between said pin and the said leaf spring.

The rear end of spring 32 projects outwardly through the second cutaway slot 21 in the 'top wall of holder 14 and is reverse curved at 37 for a purpose hereafter explained.

The handle 27 has a clamp mechanism pivotally mounted thereon, generally indicated at 38, which is in the nature of an elongated channel member with depending side flanges 39 and a downturned end wall 40. Forward portions adjacent the ends of flanges 39 of the said channel 38 overlie corresponding forward portions of the handle 27 and are pivotally connected thereto by the transverse rivet 41.

The above described clamp 38 also includes the U-shaped wire, including a bight 42 and with the free ends 43 of the wire curved inwardly and retainingly positioned through apertures in the side Walls 39 of the channeled member 38. This thus provides a pivot mounting for the securing loop 4243 and the lock between the handle 27 and holder 14. There are included a pair of parallel spaced extensions 44 at the forward ends of the side flanges 39 of the clamp channel 38 which have upwardly opening notches 45 therethrough adapted for cooperative retaining registry with the transverse pins 46 which project outwardly from upper rear portions of the holder 14, to thus achieve a positive interlock between the clamp 38 and the holder 14 when the handle 27 has been pivoted into longitudinal alignment with the said holder with the corresponding end walls 29 and 23 respectively in operative abutment.

In operation in the unfolding of the collapsible hand axe from the position shown in FIG. 5, the parts would assume the intermediate position shown in FIG. 4. At this point the axe blade 11 is rotated in a clockwise direction about its pivot 15 so that its head end 13 snugly nests within the holder, and projects at substantially right angles thereto as shown in FIG. 1. At that 3 point the retaining pin 35 has snapped into registry within the aperture 34 formed in the head 33 of the leaf spring 32 for cooperative retaining engagement therewith.

As a next step with the handle and clamp 38 in the relative position shown in FIG. 4, the end wall 29 of the handle is moved into abutting relation with the end wall 23 of the holder so that the projections 44 of the clamp underlie the respective laterally extending pins 46. \At this point also, the bight 42 cooperatively overlies and in turn engages with a hook 37 on the free end of the leaf spring 32. Thereafter the channel element 38 of the clamp is rotated about its pivot 41 towards and into cooperative overlying engagement with the top wall of the handle, completing the assembly as shown in FIG. 1.

At that point, it is seen that there is substantially a toggle action in the sense that the locking pins 46 are in a line on dead center with the connection with the hook 42 with the spring 32 and the pivot mounting 41 of the channel 38 forming a part of the clamp member. Accordingly, the handle is fixedly locked with respect to holder 14 with the walls 29 and 23 in operative abutment to thus prevent accidental folding of the holder and handle towards each other. At the same time, the clamp element 42 applies a longitudinal force along the leaf spring 32 to the hook 37, applying longitudinal pressure to the interlocked upwardly extending pin 35 on the axe head to further fixedly retain the said axe blade 11 in the assembled use position, shown in FIG. 1.

Thus there is introduced into the present invention a safety feature by which the handle and bolder are retained in longitudinal alignment against accidental folding and at the same time the axe blade 11 is fixedly retained against folding from the position shown in FIG. 1.

Accordingly the relationship of the axe head 11 as pivotally mounted within the holder 14 is such that the end wall 17 retains the axe head 11 against pivotal movement in one direction from the position shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly the axe head 11 can only rotate if released in a counterclockwise direction from the relationship of the parts shown in FIG. 1. By the same token, upon release of the clamp 38 between the handle 27 and holder 14, the said handle may be rotated substantially 180 degrees into opposing registry with the said holder, as shown in FIG. 5. In this position, it is noted that the axe blade 11 has been pivoted 90 degrees substantially so as to nest within the channel holder 14.

In order to permit this pivotal movement of the axe blade 11 the head 33 of the leaf spring 32 must be manually disengaged from the pin 35. This is accomplished by merely grasping the flanges 36 from the head 33 and lifting the same so that the said head is disengaged from pin 35. After this has been done, the axe blade 11 may be freely rotated through the position shown in FIG. 4 to the final storage position shown in FIG. 5.

This provides an additional safety feature for the hand axe and prevents accidental tipping of the axe blade 11 from the fixed position shown in FIG. 1. On the other hand, when the axe blade 11 is rotated to the use position shown in FIG. 1 from the position shown in FIG. 4, for illustration, the pin 35 actually snaps into registry within the aperture 34 in the head 33 forming a part of the leaf spring.

In the finally collapsed position of the parts, after the axe blade 11 has been folded to the position shown in FIG. 5, the handle which has been previously released by upward tilting of the clamp channel 38 to the position shown in FIG. 4, is now free to rotate 180 degrees to the position shown in FIG. 5. At that point it is seen that the channel of the said handle cooperatively receives the projecting portion of the axe blade 11 to complete the finished assembly of the collapsible hand axe when folded.

The present device is thus very compact and when so folded occupies a small space and is thus easily portable.

It will be noted that pivot is ofiset with respect to 4 the central axis of blade 11. Thus striking a blow has the tendency to lock the blade in the holder.

Having described our invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a collapsible hand axe, an elongated channel shaped holder, an axe blade snugly positioned within and against one end of the holder, pivotally mounted thereon and projecting normally thereof in its operative position, said holder retaining said blade against pivotal movement in one direction, said blade adapted to pivotally nest longitudinally within said holder, a channel shaped handle pivotally connected at one end to and, in one position, abutting the other end of the holder in longitudinal alignment therewith, said handle adapted to pivot in one direction into parallel opposed relation with the holder to receive a portion of the blade when nested in said holder, resilient means mounted on said holder fixedly, yet releasably, securing said blade against pivotal movement from said operative position, and a clamp on said handle releasably interlocking with said holder to maintain said holder and said handle in said one position in rigid alignment with each other.

2. In the collapsible hand axe of claim 1, said resilient means including an elongated leaf spring nested within said holder, a portion of said holder being slotted, a retainer pin projecting from said blade into the slotted portion of the holder, one end of said leaf spring extending into said slotted portion normally of said pin and apertured to receive said pin, said clamp releasably engaging the other end of said leaf spring in tension.

3. In the collapsible hand axe of claim 1, the interlock between said clamp and holder including a pair of spaced hooks extending forwardly of said clamp and pins projecting outwardly from end portions of said holder interlocked with said hooks.

4. In the collapsible hand axe of claim 1, said resilient means including an elongated leaf spring nested within said holder, a portion of said holder being slotted, a retainer pin projecting from said blade into the slotted por? tion of the holder, one end of said leaf spring extending into said slotted portion normally of said pin and apertured to receive said pin, said clamp releasably engaging the other end of said spring in tension, the engagement of said clamp with said leaf spring including a hook on the other end of said leaf spring, and a wire loop at its ends pivotally mounted on said clamp with the bight of the loop interlocked with said hook.

5. In the collapsible hand axe of claim 1, said resilient means including an elongated leaf spring nested within said holder, a portion of said holder being slotted, a retainer pin projecting from said blade into the slotted portion of the holder, one end of said leaf spring extending into said slotted portion normally of said pin and apertured to receive said pin, said clamp releasably engaging the other end of said leaf spring in tension, the interlock between said clamp and holder, including a pair of spaced hooks extending forwardly of said clamp and pins projecting outwardly from end portions of said holder interlocked with said hooks, the engagement of said clamp with said leaf spring including a hook on the other end of said leaf spring, and a wire loop at its ends pivotally mounted on said clamp with the bight of the loop interlocked with said hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 738,869 Wing Sept. 15, 1903 939,091 Riggs Nov. 2, 1909 1,189,005 Seely June 27, 1916 1,515,688 Love Nov. 18, 1924 1,795,227 Miller et al. Mar. 3, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 94,985 Sweden Mar. 8, 1939 

